The families of each of the 26 people killed in a minibus-truck collision near Kaziranga National Park will receive Rs 9 lakh as ex gratia, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Saturday, according to news agency Press Trust of India.The victims died after the two vehicles collided head-on on NH-715 at Rangajan in Kaziranga on Friday. Many of them were college students returning from classes.After visiting the accident site, Sarma said each bereaved family would receive Rs 5 lakh from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund, Rs 2 lakh from the State Disaster Management Authority and Rs 2 lakh announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.Ministers will hand over the money to the families at their homes after post-mortem examinations are completed and the bodies reach their respective residences, Sarma told PTI. “No amount of money can compensate such a loss, especially for families who have lost more than one member,” the chief minister said, describing the accident as “heartbreaking”.“My thoughts and prayers are with every family who lost a loved one, and the Assam government stands with you at this painful time,” he said.

Sarma added that he would personally visit the home of every bereaved family over the next two to three days. Steps were taken to complete the post-mortem examinations on Saturday.

The government was also ensuring special medical care for the injured at Jorhat Medical College and Hospital and other health facilities where they were undergoing treatment, Sarma said.“Additional doctors from Guwahati and other hospitals have been sent so that post-mortem examinations are completed quickly, and the injured get the best possible care,” he said.A detailed investigation into the accident is under way. “We will look at every possible cause behind this tragedy,” the chief minister said.Sarma also said some traffic restrictions had been relaxed at the Nalbari Cabinet meeting because of political pressure. “Even then, I felt we should not have allowed such relaxations,” he said.The chief minister said strict traffic rules would be enforced as people's lives came first. He directed the police and district administration to strengthen road safety awareness and enforcement to prevent similar accidents.The state government has announced a total ex gratia of Rs 9 lakh for each victim's family, while post-mortem examinations, treatment of the injured and an investigation into the collision are being carried out.- Ends(With PTI inputs)